Rating: 
Summary: It was emotionally stirring and tugged on the heart-strings.
Review: I recently read the book "Princess" because my friend (who is Indian, but Hindu) recommended it to me. The wonderfully-written book is a true story about a Saudi Arabian princess, and the cruelties that Muslim Saudi women have to endure "behind the veil" so to speak. I haven't been so affected by a single book in quite some time. In fact, I finished the book in one day and immediately picked up the sequel, "Princess Sultana's Daughters." "Princess" is a book that should be read by all women around the world. Although prior to having read this book, I had some knowledge about the way that Muslim women were treated in Saudi Arabia, I had no idea of the extent of it. Sultana talks about all aspects of the Muslim way of life, as well as Saudi traditions. The combination of the two made for an extremely unnerving and shocking book. However shocking it may be though, I feel strongly that this is a wonderful book that you won't want to miss.
Rating: 
Summary: Coulden't put the book down....BUT!!!
Review: I have read both books and it was one of the few occasions when I completly finished the book in one sitting. Lot of the imagery in this book is very accurate but clearly it has been exsaguerated. I have live in the Middle east for 15 years and I am a muslim so i have first hand knowledge of this subject. The life of the women in Islam is not as dismal as the author may have you belive, Most of the women pefer the vail and are quite happy with there life. They are not like silent sheeps as protrayed in this book, I think in over all the stories have some truth to them but to make it a bestseller the author had to SPICE IT UP so the public would be entertained. It is still a very intamate look at the life of the Muslim women that you dont often get to see.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is not consistent
Review: I am sure that many of the stuff happens in the royal family that was mentioned in Princess, however, I must say that after growing up in Saudi and knowing many Saudi women and princesses, this story seems like it was composed by a westerner who heard about incidents of some saudi women and put it all together in one person, Sultana.I wouldn't believe her story 100%...Ultimately though, the attitude of the book is from a western world-view, you can't view the Middle eastern world-view through it because you will never fully understand it. Also, it gives the impression that this is how the Islamic world is...
Rating: 
Summary: what I think of this book
Review: well .. one thing for sure .. if some muslims women put veils on their faces .. a lot of people seeing them put veils on their hearts .. they don't see the truth .. open your eyes people .. we are happy here .. in our countries .. with our way of life .. and if you imagine that princess has no freedom .. think again !! she get to tell her one-sided stroy , all the details she chooses to tell .. and she choose to wear a veil in her country .. and take it off while shopping in Erope ! just keep in mind that she is failthy rich .. and she has nothing to do with her life .. just to complain !! well we know anther princess that she didn't had it the easy way .. but she didn't went crying in our ears .. you know her , Princess Diana , anyway .. if any of you .. people who live far from the islamic country would like to complain about that way we live , we the muslim women .. read this .. it is written by one of you : America in particular and the West in general does not have the best record when it comes to domestic violence. Statisitcs in America show that one in four girls are raped by someone in the position of trust before the age of consent. thank you very much ,
Rating:
Summary: oviously untrue
Review: untrue, untrue, untrue, she has no evedence, no prove, no explanations, she has nothing that could convence the ming that things as basar as what she wrote could be true. What she wrote made me very mad. I am from Saudi Arabia and i am proud of that. She has no right insulting a saudi woman or princess there is no diffrence, she insulted one she insulted all.
Rating: 
Summary: If exaggerated, Sasson would have made big mistake.
Review: As a freshman in high school, I was assigned to read this book. Although the material was shocking, it was not a "beautifully" written book or one that will be remembered as great literature. My teacher was captivated by the tragedies that surrounded "Sultana's" life, and made all 50 of her students do extensive research on the subject. In fact, the entire 9th grade (circa 230 kids) was influenced by this book. Upon hearing that I was reading this book, my aunt, who is an American but lives in Bangladesh, said from the start that it was all wrong. She went on and on afterwards about how the Saudi's were the nicest people you will ever meet, and told me of personal experiences she had had with Saudis. If any part of these two books are untrue, and I firmly believe that they are exaggerated at least slightly, then you have made an entire generation of kids percieve another religion and culture through a cracked telescope. It has put some kind of predijuce on them, no matter what happens in the future. Please, all authors who are thinking of claiming to have written memoirs or the life story of someone and have really just collaborated the worst parts of the storys together for a best seller.. please don't do it. Every kid should have a nice telescope or at least a good pair of glasses at which to view the world in, and besides that, you would have wasted valuable school time we could have spent doing research on a relevant topic.
Rating:
Summary: A fictious novel based on gathered and imaginary data.
Review: I have read this book and its sequel, and found it really difficult to understand how such an identity would remain anonymous!! By all the incidents in those two books, regardless of the names being used, one would be sure enough of whom those two books are talking about. I would not be surprised if the identity of this so called princess was identified by her family, relatives, or friends. In the sequel part, the author tried to explain why the princess' identity wasnt discovered, but her , the author's, reasoning was terribly weak! I think, as a personal point of view from someone who knows the culture very well, that this story is a fictious story that was based on some gathered data that the author believed would be a hot selling novel. The author gathered what would interest and, most importantly, entertain the general public here in the United States, and that is basically what you read in this book.
Rating:
Summary: Very real, vivid story of women in Saudi Arabia
Review: As i prepared myself to move to Saudi the reading of this book was prohibited for the group. Needless to say I bought one. I couldn't put it down, read it in 5 hours. And, form all the text books I read, is the one that really showed me what I will later encounter myself during my stay at Saudi.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating...
Review: "Princess" is a book filled with unsettling images and unimaginable horrors for any woman. You'll want to read this book straight through, so plan ahead!! I suggest reading another book, by author Geraldine Brooks, called NINE PARTS DESIRE, it offers a wide range of personal stories of Muslim, women including genital mutilation, forced sex, etc... Sultana should feel proud because her story is a testament to all that can go wrong in the name of any religion and the need for an end to fanatical religion and politics. You have to wonder how many women islamic men have managed to oppress, and the loss that represents for all of us.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for All to read!
Review: Just a book that everyone must have the chance to read. Puts a new perspective on your own life, and the things that you take for granted. Such as driving a car, showing your face in public, and having a choice as to whom you are going to marry. Interesting, informative and shocking.
|
